Recipe This | Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower (2024)

Flavoursome and creamy instant pot mashed cauliflower. These veggie mashed potatoes are a wonderful side dish and perfect for midweek dinners, or for a holiday alternative to mashed potatoes.

You can also use this instant pot cauliflower mash as your main recipe and then transforming it into a cauliflower crust.

Instant Pot Cauliflower Mash

Let’s talk about one of those low carb greats. One that I discovered back in 2015 when I did my first ever round of the Whole30 and discovered the paleo way of life.

It is the well-loved cauliflower.

How cauliflower back then became the go-to for many, many people because they could replace cauliflower in many recipes instead of the humble spud. The spud suddenly became very unloved.

But it did mean that if you liked cauliflower, you suddenly had some great ways to cook it.

Our favourite was of course (and still is) to pressure cook the cauliflower like we do in our instant pot cauliflower recipe, then that’s your cauliflower base that you can use in so many different recipes.

Today’s cauliflower mashed potatoes recipe follows on from the basic steaming of the cauliflower and shows you how to transform it into mash and also how to then use the mash to make a cauliflower crust with.

If you are looking for more delicious cauliflower recipes do try: air fryer frozen cauliflower, soup maker cauliflower soup, cauliflower in microwave, microwave cauliflower rice, or our personal favourite instant pot cauliflower cheese.

Are You New To The Instant Pot?

Plus, as well as our extremely popularinstant pot mini coursewhich teaches you the instant pot basics in 5 days, we also have ourinstant pot bucket list. That is loaded with 30FREEbucket list worthy instant pot recipes.

Click hereor on the banner above and you will have access to both in an instant.

Does Cauliflower Mash Taste Like Cauliflower?

Yes, cauliflower mash does taste like cauliflower, so you have to love cauliflower to love cauli mash. Though you can season the cauliflower however you like and give it an extra flavour if you aren’t that keen on cauliflower.

Is Cauliflower Mash Better Than Potato Mash?

This depends on how you like your mashed potatoes. I prefer mashed cauliflower because it is lighter and is good not just for your meal but also for your leftovers. I recommend you try our cauliflower mashed potatoes recipe and also try our instant pot no drain mashed potatoes, which uses white potatoes and see which one you prefer.

Why Is My Cauliflower Mash Watery?

The cauli mash is watery because it is holding too much water and you have not drained the excess water enough.

Have you seen those videos where they show you how to make cauliflower pizza crust? And note how much time is spent in removing the excess water, well you don’t need to be as harsh in removing water with the cauliflower for mash, but you still need to have a good go.

Why Is My Cauliflower Mash Grainy?

Think of the grainy texture of the cauliflower mash, just like you think of the lumps in traditional mashed potatoes. The grainy bits of cauliflower rice are your lumps.

To avoid grainy cauliflower mash, simply give it an extra mashing with your potato masher.

How Can I Thicken Cauliflower Mash?

If you need to thicken cauliflower mash I would recommend putting the cauliflower mash into a mesh strainer and letting it naturally drip through with the excess water and then mixing it. This will get rid of the excess liquid and will make it easy to thicken.

How To Make Mashed Potatoes Out Of Cauliflower?

If you are wondering how do people make mashed potatoes out of cauliflower then think of it like you are making traditional mash out of white potatoes.

You prepare and steam the potatoes first, then you drain the liquid and then you mash with your favourite seasonings and flavours.

Well, with mashed potatoes out of cauliflower it’s the exact same method you are just steaming cauliflower florets instead of white potatoes.

Would you like easy & amazing instant pot recipes from instant pot experts? Click here and join the Recipe This Newsletter. We will then send you the BEST instant pot beginner recipes direct to your email inbox along with other useful instant pot resources.

Ingredients For Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

Cauliflower – We recommend a medium or large cauliflower that you have chopped into cauliflower florets.

Liquid. You can opt for filling the instant pot with water or stock for you to take the instant pot to pressure. I usually use water if just steaming cauliflower, but if I want to transform the cauliflower into cauliflower cheese or cauliflower mash, then I will opt for stock.

Seasoning – Then you will need some seasoning. You can keep it simple with salt and pepper, and of course add any of your favourite dried seasonings. Mixed herbs or oregano are my favourite as you always have them in, and they taste so good with this steamed cauliflower recipe.

Best Cauliflower Mash Extras

I love that we all have a different option as to what is the best add in to mashed potatoes. My favourite is often adding in some salad dressing or some ranch dressing as it adds lovely flavour, but here are a few more bests:

• Mashed Cauliflower With Cream Cheese – Probably my biggest go to for easy cauliflower mashed potatoes and so delicious too. Add one of those smaller tubs of Philadelphia cream cheese and you are all set. If you are looking for a weight watchers mashed cauliflower recipe then do this but go with lightest Philadelphia to keep the points down.

• Mashed Cauliflower With Sour Cream – You can also swap the cream cheese for sour cream or a crème fraiche.

• Parmesan Cauliflower Mash – Or go cheesy and add in some parmesan cheese. Or any melting cheese will also work well such as cheddar cheese.

• Garlic Mashed Cauliflower Recipe – If you wanted to make garlic mashed cauliflower I recommend adding in some garlic butter, or some garlic butter and some aioli as it really brings out the flavour and is like heaven on the dinner table.

Then for extra flavour you could also consider some mustard as mustard mash is amazing.

Can You Recommend An Instant Pot?

I often get asked which electric pressure cookers we recommend and which one we use. In 95% of our instant pot recipes, we use either this instant pot duo (we have both the 6qt and 8qt) or the Ninja Foodi air fryer and pressure cooker in 1. You can click on the links above and read up on them.

Plus, we recommend you head over to our instant pot recipes category as we have many electric pressure cooker recipes and have been using instant pots for 5 years.

How To Make Instant Pot Cauliflower Mash?

• Prep. Add to the instant pot inner pot the veggie stock, that is enough to bring the instant pot to pressure. Next cut the whole cauliflower into florets. Add to the instant pot the steamer basket and then spread over the steamer basket the prepared cauliflower florets. Season with salt and pepper.
• Cook. Place the lid on the instant pot then cook cauliflower in instant pot for 8 minutes, followed by a quick pressure release.
• Drain. Then set up a bowl system with a large bowl, and a sieve and allow the cauliflower to sit there for a couple of minutes whilst you lose the excess liquid. Then push down on the cauliflower to release even more liquid and avoid watery cauliflower mash.
• Transfer. Next transfer the cauliflower to a bowl and use a masher and add in any add ons to create instant pot mashed cauliflower.

Air Fryer Cauliflower Pizza

If you would like to turn your cauliflower mash into cauliflower pizza, then you can do this too!

But you will need to do is drain the cauliflower A LOT more than what you have done for instant pot cauliflower mashed potatoes.

We will usually strain with a mesh strainer and then squeeze out every last bit of water using a clean tea towel.

Then mix the cauliflower with 1 small egg, loads of cheese (as much as you want) then load the cauliflower mixture into the bottom of a pizza pan and then you have air fryer cauliflower pizza waiting for the toppings.

Listen To Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower

Want to learn more about our Podcast? Then click here and you can browse through past episodes and subscribe to the Magic With Gadgets Podcast.

What To Serve With Mashed Cauliflower?

You can serve mashed potatoes made with cauliflower with anything you would normally serve regular mashed potatoes with. Such as our slow cooker pork stew, instant pot liver and onions, or even our air fryer boneless and skinless chicken thighs.

More Pressure Cooker Mash Recipes

• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes No Drain
• Ninja Foodi Mashed Potatoes
• Instant Pot Sweet Potato Mash
• Instant Pot Parsnip Mash
• Instant Pot beginner recipes!

This cauliflower mash instant pot recipe is an updated post and we originally shared with you back in 2018.

Your cauliflower mash instant pot recipe is below, note you can print it out with or without photos, adjust servings, or click between metric and imperial depending on where you are in the world.

Though before you do, don’t forget to subscribe, and grab your FREE VIP Pass to Recipe This. You will get access to our latest recipes first, you will be able to request recipes, you will have access to free mini courses, free instant pot ebooks and useful instant pot cook time charts and so much more.

Can’t make it now? Then save it for later!